Hamid Sakhizada
On his first album release in Norway, Hamid Sakhizada has Harpreet Bansal, Kaveh Mahmudiyan and Birger Mistereggen with him - and they are of course also at the concert in Førde Photo: Knut Utler
Keep the tradition alive
With his life at stake, Afghan musician Hamid Sakhizada promotes his tradition, the unique Hazara music.
The highly respected musician from Afghanistan has an all-consuming passion for the Hazara tradition and the dambura, a type of lute with two strings. The dambura provides melody, chords, and a distinctive rhythm to the beautiful Afghan folk music.
Hamid Sakhizada had a great career in his homeland, where he worked diligently to maintain the traditional music of the Hazara province. He participated in the ABA Annual Song Contest, the Asian version of Eurovision, and came second in an Afghan version of The Voice, Afghan Star. He has toured in several countries, and recorded three albums before coming to Norway, but the Hazaras are a minority in Afghanistan, and his interest in traditional music here cost him dearly. He was threatened and severely harassed by groups that opposed the Hazara minority and by religious fanatics.
Two of his music students were kidnapped and tortured by the Taliban. One was killed. After this incident, and increasing threats, he had to flee the country. With help from ICORN and SafeMUSE, he came to Harstad at the end of 2016 as a free city musician. He still lives here, and continues his work to keep his own cultural heritage alive.
Record publishing in Norway
In November 2019, Sakhizada released his first album in Norway. Dai Raft, contains the story of ancient instruments and traditions that are in danger of being forgotten. The songs are about love, sorrow and joy. The album contains traditional melodies from different regions, in addition to Sakhizada's own compositions. With him on the album are Birger Mistereggen, Harpreet Bansal and Kaveh Mahmudiyan.
For years, the Hazaras' cultural heritage and traditions have been ridiculed and suppressed. Hamid takes the tradition seriously, and conveys it with warmth and empathy. Together with Indian violin, Persian drum and Norwegian mouth harp, a soundscape is created that on the one hand gives the impression of tradition and folk music, but which is at the same time something new and creative. Rhythms, phrasing and arrangements are stirred together in a melting pot of time and genre. The old folk melodies and Hamid's own compositions stand firmly in the past and present, and are handed down in a varied soundscape.
Hamid Sakhizada - vocals, dambura
Harpreet Bansal - violin
Birger Mistereggen - harmonica, scythe drum, percussion
Kaveh Mahmudiyan - tombak, daf, bandir